Posted on 06/16/2005 8:01:41 AM PDT by sionnsar
Oh no, not again. Who did you guys bash before there was a "Purpose Driven Life", and, what did you do with all that free time?
I attend an AOG church, and I can only say that this is no great surprise. AOG sermons that I've experienced are pretty light on theology and much heavier on the manifestation of the Spirit. Of course, one's greatest strength is usually directly related to his greatest weakness.
My church went through that book, and I can't imagine what the beef is. Saddleback and Pastor Warren have done an amazing job focusing on new seekers, but the book is great for more mature Christians as well.
the three books that had been most helpful to them as a ministry leader during the past three years
To me, the phrasing of this question would obviously lead to the kind of current, practical-management sort of books that the respondents mentioned.
"Ministry leader" isn't even on the same page as "Pastor," to my mind. The youth group coordinator is a "ministry leader"; so is the refugee ministry chairman, and the mission-trips organizer. Not the pastor.
AMEN!!!Or, Joel Osteen's book! Or, Trinity Broadcasting Network! Or, Kenneth Copeland, Creflo Dollar.......
Oh I agree. I have seen many people's lives touched by that book (my own included), and as I've attended Saddleback, it's set me free from a lot of the "religious" false doctrines that I see so many people on here with.
But if you listen to some people on here, they'd try to convince you that Rick Warren is a false prophet, Saddleback is the den of iniquity, and the PDL is from satan.
Just so you're ready...
Well, some seem to feel that any church that has a lot of people showing up to it must not be telling people the truth about what despicable sinners they are. I've run into the headstrong hyper-Calvinist folks before, and it can certainly be unpleasant.
You seem irrationally upset. The article did not offer any criticism of "Purpose-Driven Life." The author simply observed that he was discouraged at the lack of theological study by pastors. (I don't think the survey supports that concern, as I observed in post #5.)
And Sionnsar didn't comment at all. He posted an article from a source of interest to Traditional Anglicans.
That was the criticism I was referring to.
Great questions.
Indeed.
I see your point - I suppose it's a judgment call, what exactly constitutes "theological study." I have no opinion on PDL, but I find the heat of the controversy interesting, so I read a thread on occasion.
Welcome to FR.
It has almost always ranked next to the Bible for the last 50-75 years as the book most helpful to Christian leaders other than the Bible.
Thanks.
Been lurking a considerable while. I finally decided to fish instead of cut-bait--if that's the proper metaphor.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1423849/posts
Daily thread on Oswald Chambers.
I think the survey's "last three years" qualifier had the respondents thinking about books that were new to them in the last three years, even if an older book (or the Bible) was their greatest continuing influence.
The Me culture is evident in these percentages. Looks like more books focused on ME (individuals), rather than the community.
Careful what you fish for ... you might catch it :-).
Could be. I still think the question skewed the results this way.
At any rate, the books of the Bible should top that list.
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